Barcolana 51: Registrations kick off, North Sails and Dee Caffari involvement
by Barcolana 51 26 May 2019 11:46 UTC
4-13 October 2019
Barcolana 51 presented by Generali © Event Media
Barcolana 51 presented by Generali is ready to kick off. Registrations were opened this morning, well in advance compared to past editions, to join the Regatta on 13th October 2019.
A spectacular week is expected ahead of the regatta with events livening up Trieste on land and at sea right from 4th October. Along with the opening of registrations, the tourist packages for visitors Barcolana Experiences were also launched today on the website barcolana.it.
After a successful 50th edition recognised by the Guinness World Records as "the largest sailing race in the world", Barcolana adds a "+1" to its 'edition 50' aiming to create a regatta with an environmental focus, gathering all sailing lovers in Trieste, the city which becomes the international capital of sailing generating a revenue of over 70 million euros with this event, as certified by the independent study published in February.
Thanks to an exceptional testimonial, Dee Caffari - the first yachtswoman to have sailed solo and non-stop around the globe - Barcolana will continue to raise awareness on environmental sustainability. A new technical partner will also be welcomed onboard this event: the prestigious Italian clothing company North Sails will design the official polo shirt and the Barcolana collection for the Regatta editions 51 and 52. North Sails and Barcolana share the values of sustainability and internationalization. Generali will become presenting sponsor under a three-year partnership contract.
Barcolana 51 will be all about quality: after an unbelievable rise in entries in two years (from 1,765 boats in 2016 to 2,689 in 2018, i.e. 931 boats more and 5 thousand more people at sea) organizers have taken on the recommendation of the Port Authority to set a cap on entries to 2,700 boats. "We are not looking for new records explained chairman Gialuz and this year we have to take in the growth of the past two editions and ensure mooring space, fun and safety for all." This choice goes hand in hand with the aim of sustainability of the event at sea, after organizers had to widen the start line in 2017 to make sure all the boats would "fit".
Official presentations are about to be delivered. Barcolana's 2019 poster designed with illy will be presented in Milan and then London. What's more Barcolana and illy will bring a new, more ambitious edition of Barcolana Chef involving Michel-starred chefs and more audience.
Dee Caffari, Event Testimonial For the first time Barcolana will have an exceptional testimonial: the record- breaking yachtswoman Dee Caffari, the first woman to have sailed solo around the globe against the prevailing winds and currents, and skipper of 'Turn the tide on plastic' in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017/2018. Barcolana has chosen Dee for her commitment to environmental sustainability, for her genuine passion and because she can inspire girls to choose sailing as a sport that provides many opportunities for personal growth.
"We are proud stated Chairman Mitja Gialuz to announce that Dee Caffari will join us for Barcolana 51. She is one of the women who has made the history of modern world sailing, raising awareness on environmental issues and taking action to safeguard our oceans. Dee has accepted to be with us at Barcolana to promote the values of our event friendship, passion for sailing, clean oceans, and sporting spirit".
"I was fortunate to have Trieste sailor, Francesca Clapcich, stated Dee Caffari - as part of my crew on the last Volvo Ocean Race. I had heard of this event but it was Frankie that connected me with Barcolana and I am looking forward to taking part in an event with true sporting spirit. My aim over the course of the Barcolana event will be to raise awareness and inspire the next generation. I want to raise awareness among both the sailing community and ocean lovers generally. I also want to highlight the ocean plastic pollution issue to everyone taking part in Barcolana. I know that the Barcolana made significant progress on this issue last year, but much more needs to be done to save our oceans and reducing our reliance on single use plastic in our daily life is a key step towards this goal. Inspiration is the other key word. I believe sailing has a great deal to offer female sailors and I hope that my participation in the Barcolana will allow me to share my experiences and inspire them to take up the sport."
North Sails, the new technical partner SVBG Chairman, Mitja Gialuz, was pleased to announce that North Sails will be Barcolana's new technical partner this year. "We warmly welcome onboard North Sails - Gialuz said with whom we will work for the next two years, two great years promoting the sea". North Sails and Barcolana have signed a partnership contract until 2020 to design the collections of this year's and next year's Regatta. Collections will be available to be purchased online on the Barcolana website or from North Sails online store and in selected stores.
Elisa Riva, Marketing Manager North Sails Apparel has stated "We are pleased of this partnership with Barcolana, which emphasizes our shared DNA made of sailing and commitment towards more sustainable oceans. With Barcolana we also share the testimonial - Dee Caffari -, who is North Sails' Ambassador. We will contribute to the event by raising awareness on plastic pollution, continuing the trend that has featured in many of our latest Seasons and promotional campaigns."
Registrations now open, limit of 2,700 entries for this edition The press conference today officially kicked off online registrations on barcolana.it. Many novelties were presented, including a cap on entries set to 2,700 boats for this year.
Here's what Mr Gialuz had to say: "I don't know whether entries will be 2000 or 3000 this year, after the record we broke last year. What I do know is that, after years of sharp growth, we need to work on quality and set a limit on the number of participating boats. This decision, which regards this year's edition, was taken on the recommendation of the Port Authority to ensure efficient organization and allow to 'absorb' the large number of participants in 2017 and 2018. In two years only, entries increased by 931 boats, from 1,758 to 2,689, and approximately five thousand more people populated the sea. We want everyone to have fun and enjoy the event when they reach our city, when they moor their yachts and when they race, right until the moment they sail back to their own ports. Setting a cap does not mean limiting the event, but working step by step, offering orderly organization, guaranteeing safety and ensuring efficient space management. We no longer aim to break the record, but it is important for ship owners to know right from the start that we are ready to welcome 2,700 boats and their crews. Registrations will work on a first-come, first- served basis. This year's edition will focus on participants' satisfaction and fun on land and at sea, it will pivot on event sustainability in the Gulf and we will endeavour to achieve efficient management of moorings and investments and we will work with local institutions for greater involvement".
Incoming: The Barcolana experiences are back with musement Following last year's success with Barcolana50, the partnership with Musement has been confirmed. The tourist platform will offer a range of tourist packages for you to live a unique experience during the Barcolana festival. Follow the race from a motorboat or enjoy a romantic dinner in the Gulf while following Barcolana by Night under a magnificent firework display. These are just some of the Barcolana Experiences Musement will offer, in partnership with Civado. The activities are already available and can be purchased online.
"The commissioned research study carried out by prof. Guerzoni from Bocconi University in Milan commented Gialuz has objectively shown that Trieste's and the region's tourist sector benefits greatly from Barcolana, more than Barcolana itself. The figures are impressive: over 40 million euros are spent in the region during the event, generating an overall value of more than 70 million euros. Not to mention the impact Barcolana has on promoting the region and the city of Trieste. Our partnership with Musement starts earlier this year because we want to arouse the curiosity of tourists, especially foreign tourists, making Barcolana even more appealing".
Barcolana in Città: Call open to include an event in the Barcolana calendar For the second year running, a call will be opened for local businesses to submit their event. The aim is to involve the entire city in the planning of events during the Barcolana festival. Submitted events will be analysed by a technical committee presided by Barcolana Chairman Mitja Gialuz and selected events will be included in the official calendar of Barcolana 51 in citta' and will be able to use the Barcolana trademark. The deadline for submitting candidatures is 30th June. The form is available online on barcolana.it under "Submit your event".